Tips on Winterizing Your Boat

Winterizing your boat is something that every boat owner must do to insure that their boat won't be damaged by the weather and also to insure that it will operate optimally when the season ends. Air room in the fuel tank is room for water to condense inside of it resulting in rust. The solution to this is to fill the fuel tank completely, leaving the absolute minimum amount of space that is required for expansion.

Remember to add fuel stabilizer to the tank when this is done. The next step in the winterizing process is to turn off fuel valves, seal all through-hull ports with duct tape and change out all filers including the fuel filter and water separator. To protect the engine you must start it up and let it get warm and then drain the oil only after you have turned the motor off. By warming the engine up before you drain the oil you allow the grit and sludge that has settled in it to be agitated up and then removed with the drained oil.

Drain off the engine coolant if it is not an air-cooled motor and replace it with a high-grade propylene glycol based anti-freeze. Another important step is to remove the spark plugs, spray (fogging oil) into the cylinders and then replace the spark plugs. This step will prevent condensation, resulting in rust from forming inside of the cylinders on the cylinder walls and valves and piston rings.

Also take this opportunity to replace any gear oil in the drive line as well. For outboards there are a number of things that have to be done to winterize them also. The first thing to do is to disconnect the fuel line and then run the motor until it stops. This will insure that all fuel is drained from the system. If your boat is going to be stored in the water, leave the battery connected so the bilge pump will operate correctly.